Lovable Stupidity
by ink-splatter
Summary: “I love you so much it’s starting to hurt. I wish you’d know how much I care for you.” “Sometimes you’re just so stupid Naruto,And I loved you just the way you are.sakuXnaru fluff


**A/N: **my first naru-saku fluff fic. After having an overdose of fanfics of this pair, I decided to write my own, a warning though, this one's fresh off the grill which means it's not beta-read, I want to post ASAP and ta-da! This is the rough work, I hope you enjoy reading it!

Disclaimer: naruto and sakura are not mine. They never were! All rights reserved to their proper creators and producers!

**Lovable Stupidity**

I am known to be one of the smartest kunoichi among my age. I am known to be temperamental yet analytical and rational when it comes down to business. People even trust me with their lives and the past few years that I have served as a medic nin, I can say I have accomplished a lot. But then why? Why did my brain suddenly decide to give up on me now? You ask me what am I talking about? Well, isn't it just grand when one fine day you wake up and much to your horror you find out that you have just fallen in love with your best friend? Okay, so it was probably that I fell in love with him long ago… Oh crap! I'm not even certain when did this bizarre thing happened! All I know is that the feeling is slowly driving me insane. It is starting to become a handicap. It doesn't help that every single day since then I wake up only one thought enters my mind- that is, an affirmation that _I love_ the loud-mouthed, brash, stupid, cute, kind-hearted, principled, Hokage of Konoha. It doesn't help that he's still as dense as ever. Every day I long-and yet dreaded to see him. His face comes popping in my overactive imagination every five minutes or so and I'm tempted to say his name at least once every hour… Pathetic, I know. I even started loosing weight too, since I cannot swallow the food I eat for my stomach would do flip-flops whenever my mind conjures up an image of him. Eventually, I had some crazy moments wherein I'd dash out of the hospital because I start hyperventilating whenever I hear that he's nearby or going in for an emergency treatment on random wounds he had acquired from the many freak accidents that he seems to be a magnet of.

As of this moment, I am trying my best not to flinch or faint or cry or bolt away, for the man I truly wanted and hated to see is standing right infront of me flashing me his lop-sided killer smile all because I got exhausted from running away from him for the past days and had my guard down.

"Sakura-chan! I never thought I'd see you again here!" He exclaimed, still smiling broadly despite his dislocated knee cap.

"Don't be silly, I'm a medic ninja. Off course you'd see me here." I snapped; a defense mechanism to hide what I truly feel.

"But Sakura-chan, you were not here yesterday, or the day before that. You haven't been here for almost two weeks!" He whined, much like a child, his blue eyes wide and accusing. He has this habit of walking in the emergency room where I am assigned everyday, bleeding from various gashes and having his bone displaced on some occasions. Always. Everyday. It inevitably led me to have this suspicion that he inflicted those injuries on himself just so he'd have an excuse to be here… but that is just inner Sakura prodding me again.

"And why have you been here yesterday? Or the day before that? For the past two weeks, to be precise? What have you been doing that needs medical attention on a day to day basis?" I asked, putting a little harshness in my voice. He knows how I get worked up regarding his health as his best friend, off course. He's the freaking Rokudaime for crying out loud!

"Er, I was, uh, see, I was…sick! Yeah, badly sick last week. I had to be hospitalized! I came looking for you but you weren't here…"

"I had the week off." I replied curtly, and slowly proceeded into cutting up his pant leg to expose his injured knee. Maybe he had forgotten the fact that Kyuubi won't let him get sick that long, so his excuse was invalid. He usually recovers from common ailments within the day.

"Oh, yeah. The nurse on duty told me something like that. Where did you go?" He paused for a bit before asking me that question. His face was set straight, trying his best not to grimace from the pain of his injury.

"Somewhere." I answered, not meeting his eyes. There is no way in hell I'd tell him that I locked myself up in my parents' place for a week to try and sort out my feelings for him. I have touched him countless of times before but everything else seemed to change the moment I had admitted to myself that I love him. I am trying my best not to go blushing just because I am touching him right now.

"Somewhere? Like _where_ Sakura-chan?" He insisted, face pale and slightly sweating.

"Oh, now I have to report to you, Rokudaime-sama?" I said sarcastically. His intense gaze on me is starting to make me feel uncomfortable. He seemed taken aback by my sarcasm for he hung his head low and his face clouded with what I recognize as melancholia.

_Oh crap! I think you hurt him…way to go Sakura…_

"Listen, Naruto, I-"

"Ne, Sakura-chan, you don't need to tell me. I'm sorry I was just being nosy! That's all! I was just worried, I thought you got sick or something. What would I do if my number one medic nin gets sick? Tsunade-obachan would be after my head! She'd think I'm stressing you out!" He cheerfully cut me off. His face glowing with that false smile I have never seen for a long time.

_Oh, hell! Now what have you done?? Just tell him about our feelings you idiot! Don't make the person you love suffer!!!_

I know I should have done what inner Sakura is telling me to do, but instead I just shut up and concentrated on letting my chakra heal his injury. Within 5 minutes of uncomfortable silence, I healed him and gave him a new wound at the same time. I knew that Naruto still likes me. He always tells me about it, though now, at age 23 he had somewhat become subtle in doing it.

"There. You're all patched up. Try not to break something next time, your body needs to rest too." I said with my own forced smile. Inside I felt terrible. I hate myself for hurting him like that again.

"I think it's my heart that needs a rest…" Naruto mumbled under his breath, too softly for anyone to hear, it just so happen that I am very much attuned to him that I did. He looked somber before he looked straight at me with his mask of a smile.

"Thanks a lot Sakura-chan! You're really the best! Don't worry. I won't bother you anymore after this! See you around!" He said, while walking backwards waving at me before exiting the emergency room and walking calmly out under the sun. His posture suggests that he'd be crying soon.

_Damn girl! Why can't you be honest to yourself, for once?_

The same question rings in my ear as I continue to feel terrible inside…what does he mean by saying that he won't bother me anymore after this?

xxxxxxxxxx

I haven't seen him in a week. I'm starting to get worried. Especially when one of my fellow medic nin asked me if the Rokudaime and I just had a fight.

"Sakura-san, did you just have a fight with Rokudaime-sama?"

"What?! I mean, what? I blurted out rather loudly.

"I don't mean to butt in or something, but today, he was involved in a nasty accident in the mines he wanted to close. There had been some explosion and there were little kids nearby, he rushed out to save them. He got badly burned Sakura-san but he refused to go to the hospital. In fact, he requested for a special medical team to tend to his wounds and specifically instructed them not to let you know so that you won't be bothered while you're doing intensive surgery." Rikko said; his eyebrows knitted in a curious frown. I paled. Visibly. I could feel the color slowly draining from my face as I heard the news. _Naruto-he got badly hurt and he refused to let me know! Was that what he meant by not bothering me anymore?!_ I clenched my fist and steeled myself.

"Sa-sakura-san, are you alright?" Rikko asked in a meek voice, apparently I have been emanating death aura.

"Rikko, could you cover for me? I have something important to do." I said in a commanding voice, obviously not leaving room for protest.

"Ha-hai! Sakura-san. Take your time…" the poor boy whimpered.

XXXXXXXXXX

I found him resting on his battered old sofa which he refused to throw, inside his now cleanly organized room. His arm covers his eyes but I can see the grimace of pain he tries to hide. I entered through his bedroom window, my emotions too highly strung to contain. His anbu guards recognized me and let me pass unhindered. Good for them, I wasn't in the mood to be diplomatic. He must've sensed me staring at him for he tensed and removed his arm off his face.

"Sakura-chan…what a surprise." He said, his voice sounded too tired.

I flinched. That was it? He was surprised? I walked towards his sofa slowly, taking deep breaths to try and stop my racing heart.

"You look half-dead and that's all you have to say?" I gritted my teeth. I stand before him now, if I stoop down, I could hit him on his head. What prevents me from doing it already is the fact that half of his face is covered with ghastly bandages. None of the medical ninja in the team he requested has the ability to heal 3rd degree burns like I could. I also notice that the left part of his torso and his left arm are both badly burned. Sure the medic team was able to alleviate some of his pain and reduce the damage, but they weren't able to heal him off completely. He must've been thinking that Kyuubi would do the rest for him.

I stopped in mid-sentence when he turned his head towards me and I saw his eyes coated with deep longing and pain.

"I'm alright Sakura-chan. No need to fuss over me. You have to get back to the hospital where people need you." he said, still trying to force out a smile.

I don't know what happened but then the next thing I knew was that tears were freely falling form my eyes. I dropped on my knees cried openly before Naruto.

"Fine!" I screeched in between tears. "If-if you don't want me in your life anymore I'd gladly go! Just please, please, one last time, let me heal you…" my protests sounded more like pleading in my own ears. Naruto, ever the most caring best friend in the whole world who hates to see me cry, tried his best to stand up and comfort me.

"Sa-sakura-chan! It's not like-"

"Don't say anything Naruto. I perfectly understand. Just let me do this for you." I cut him off as I reached for his injuries. I do not need to concentrate, nor do I need to get in synched with his chakra. I've been healing him since I started becoming a medical ninja. Our chakra has always been in synched since then. Healing him has become like breathing to me. I could feel my healing jutsu flow into every fiber of his being, healing him, building up destroyed tissue and repairing the damaged ones. I'll surely be drained afterwards but it'll be all worth it. It will be worth it if I can stop his pain…even if it's only his _physical_ pain. Naruto quietly sat in front of me while I continued to pour out chakra into his body. I couldn't tell if he is happy or not with what's happening between us but I can feel serenity with him. I feel like I belonged with him and I am meant to be by his side always. But I could have just been blinded by my own emotions. He might not feel the same anymore…

XXXXXXXXXX

It's been a month since the accident and I haven't seen Naruto since then. The rookie 9 respected our silence and even Ino did not bother me for details. Being physically separated from him is painful, more painful than I had ever imagined and I tire out far too quickly even in my duties unlike before. I knew it. Even then, I knew that he is the source of my unending strength. That I'll be able to keep going just knowing that he'll be there when I call. But now, things have been different. I haven't even been given missions, which means my opportunity to see him officially was also lost. All things end and I know that once again I am all alone, just like before, with my childish infatuation with Sasuke, though it had not hurt this much. I opened my eyes and admired the sky, unlike Shikamaru, I just love to watch the sky, not the clouds, maybe because it reminds me so much of Naruto's lively blue eyes. I laid on my back at the hospital roof top in an attempt to ease my soul with my sky watching. I allowed my gaze to go beyond the sky, I saw his face. Naturally, I'm quite used to imagining his face for a while now so that didn't come as a surprise. I smiled even as tears flowed once again from my eyes.

"I love you so much it's starting to hurt. I wish you'd know how much I care for you." I said, all the while smiling back at the handsome-whiskered face hovering just above me.

"I love you so much too I thought I'd die if I don't see you anytime soon. I tried, believe me Sakura-chan, I tried to keep away but I just couldn't." the handsome-whiskered face answered back.

_Wait! He __**answered**__ back?!_

I snapped out of my reverie and refocused my eyes. There, hovering above me is none other than Naruto himself! I bolted up so fast I hit his nose.

"Ouch! Sakura-chan!" He yelled.

"Na-naruto! What, what are you doing here?" I asked, eyes wide with surprise and my cheeks blushing like I dipped them in tomato sauce.

"Having my nose treated?" he cringed and pointed to his bleeding nose.

"Oh crap! I'm sorry! Here, let me see…" I automatically reached for him and healed his broken nose.

"See, Sakura-chan, I always end up in your care." He said teasingly, flashing me his dashing smile again. This time I can see the love overflowing in his eyes.

"This won't happen if you hadn't sneaked up on me!" I retorted giving him a playful punch.

"What?! And waste the chance of hearing your confession?" he smirked.

_Does he really have to be an insensitive pig?_ Inner Sakura sarcastically remarked.

I blush ten more shades of red before rushing to stand up, which I failed to do since the Kyuubi's vessel overpowered me and had me in _his_ arms instead. His face is so close I could see the deeper flecks of blue in his eyes.

"Sakura-chan, I meant every word I said. I have loved you before even when you were still pining over that teme! I loved you afterwards when you were trying to pick yourself up and I love you more for what you have become. I can only love _**YOU**_ Sakura-chan! I'd die if I try loving someone else." He delivered with such fervor I was moved to tears. Being his usual stupid self, which doesn't seem to change no matter how mature he had become, he released me and put a good distance between himself and me.

"I-I'm sorry Sakura-chan, I didn't mean to- I, I'd rather be your best friend if you could not love me… I" at that point I got tired of his stuttering and threw myself back in his arms.

"Off course I meant every word I said too! I love you Naruto, only I can't tell when, but I love you so much I can't bear being apart from you for long." I cried, burying my face in his chest so that I could muffle my words and hope he does not understand. Unfortunately, he was too keen on listening to me that he heard it all.

"Re-really? Sakura-chan? You-you _love_ me?" he asked, I can feel the shock in his voice and hear the racing beat of his excited heart.

"Sometimes you're just so stupid Naruto-" and for the first time in my life I liked how he cut me off my words; with his lips pressed passionately against mine. Our kiss lasted only a minute or two but it felt like a lifetime for both of us.

"And I loved you just the way you are." I said kissing him experimentally.

"Sakura-chan! You taste exactly like a cherry blossom!" His eyes widened with amazement at that realization.

_And he just had to ruin the moment with his unusual sense of humor._ Inner Sakura rolled her eyes.

"You actually ate a cherry blossom to be able to say that?" I couldn't resist to ask.

To my immense surprise, he blush a cute shade of red starting from the tips of his ears down to his whiskers and his cheeks. He averted his eyes before answering me,

"Ye-yeah. I did, once. Because it reminded me so much of you…" he mumbled under his breath. Sometimes he can be irresistibly cute. I laughed uncontrollably before he tackled me for another kiss. It's my turn to blush this time as I realized how he tastes.

"Ne, Sakura-chan, how do I taste like?" he asked innocently. I was afraid he'd asked that.

"Ra-ramen, what else?" I stammered, mentally adding ramen to my list of favorite dishes.

Just then someone coughed behind us,

"Sheesh…a guy can't get a decent dose of cloud watching with you two lovebirds around. Women, too bothersome…" I never felt such hatred towards Shikamaru before, but I forgive him since he's Naruto's important ambassador.

"Oh, Shikamaru-kun…I just saw Temari downtown. She's quite pissed off looking for you…" I chirped in my overly girly voice. That seemed to have an effect for Shikamaru tschk, just before puffing out in a cloud of smoke leaving us alone.

"You're one evil person Sakura-chan." Naruto complimented me.

"And I wouldn't have you any other way!" he said as he hugged me closer to him.

"You're mine and I'll be yours forever!" he added.

"I'd love that." I truthfully answered back.

A/N: was it too…OC?? I hope you liked it the way I did!


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